Croissants from It's Delectable

I've been hesitant to mention It's Delectable on the board, because people have been so fierce in their opinions of the city's best croissants. I can't vouch for them being the best in town, and I can't even say they are "authentic" (they're bigger than croissants in Paris I'm sure). But I have to tell you they're pretty darn buttery. And when you get them fresh you get that good crisp crunch on the corners, nice flakies on the outside, and the tender innards that you can sort of unwind into wispy melting butter softness.

Keith will probably give you attitude unless you are an attractive gay man (especially this weekend). He's the owner. My husband has been taking our kid to this cafe four or five mornings a week for well over a year now, and he still will be ignored when an attractive gay man is ahead or behind him on line. But it's just part of Keith's crusty charm. And Bronwyn and the other lady are really nice.

The best things they have going are definitely flaky pastry items. The croissants are great, and I really like the turnovers. Don't try to eat one of their blueberry turnovers while driving--they're volcanic. They have another turnover-like thing with fruit and cheese inside that I think I remember liking. The muffins are okay, the scones are dry as dust, and the chicken sandwich at lunch is served on ridiculous 1" slices of housemade white bread with tough crusts and floppy middles--impossible to eat even if you aren't driving. And they sell things they call bagels that are just an abomination.

All that said, it is a sweet neighborhood place that we will definitely miss when we move to Berkeley next month. They let our kid have the run of the place. There are pretty jarred preserves on sale, cakes I've never tasted, decent cookies in jars on the counter. And quite respectable neighborhood croissants.

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